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2 What you will learnIdentify the 6 historical periods of Western classical musicIdentify significant composers of the Renaissance and Baroque periods in Western classical musicExplain the contributions of Guido Arezzo, J.S. Bach, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Antonio VivaldiDescribe the transition of harmonic texture from monophonic to polyphonic and , later, to homophonic texture.

5 The Foundations of Western Classical MusicMost musical traditions developed in Western EuropeThe roots of classical musicTraced back to ancient Greece and RomePythagoras and Aristoxenus developed theories about the relationship among musical soundsThe Western music system is based on these theories.PythagorasAristoxenus

6 Medieval Church Music (450-1450)Earliest surviving classical musicChurch led in all aspects of lifeChurch music became the foundation of Western classical musicPlainsongmusic with no strict meter or accompaniment, sung by a single voice or unison choirbest known example isGregorian chant, named of Pope Gregory.

7 Medieval Church Music Monophonic – Parallel organum –having a single melodic lineGregorian chant - Deum verum - YouTubeParallel organum –compositional method in which two voice parts sing the same melody, one a perfect forth or fifth higher than the otherA way for composer to avoid restrictions of plainsongAn early attempt at harmonyActivity 1, p. 384– “Hymn to St. John the Baptist”

8 Technical Breakthroughs in Medieval MusicChant was learned by rote and passed by earNo score –written notationNeumes –markings over or under the text to signal pitch changesFirst attempts to preserve plainsong in notated formGregorian Chant Notation - neumes

9 Guido of Arezzo ( )Credited with devising the first true system of staff notationBased on 4 line staffEvolved into today’s systemSolmization –method of assigning a syllabic name to each tone of the scaleBasis of do-re-mi system of solfege

10 The Rise of Secular MusicSecular – nonreligiousSinging and dancing were common social activitiesArt of communication through original songs was importantTroubadours – traveling poet-musiciansSongs told news and other stories

11 Activity 2, p. 386 CD 11: 6 & 5 “Estampie” – medieval danceWhat is the meter?What instrument plays the melody?Compare the musical characteristics of “Estampie” to “Hymn to St. John the Baptist”

13 Renaissance (1450-1700) Renaissance – Secularism was more importanta rebirth and revival of human creativitySecularism was more importantHumanism –the emphasis on human values and capabilitiesMoved society away from the churchMuch of our thinking today is based on the ideas began at this time.Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael

17 Renaissance Music Motet – Madrigals –polyphonic choral compositions based on sacred textsMadrigals –nonreligious vocal works in several partsMore emphasis on instrumental musicInstruments were more than background, they had their own partMelody and harmony were balanced

19 Activity 4 p. 390 CD 11:8“La bouree” from Terpsichore (1612) – shows the instruments of this periodDescribe the tempo and metric organization of the musicDescribe how contrast is achieved in the musicName the instruments you hear

20 Word Painting Word painting –music that portrays the meaning of the words of the textRenaissance composers discovered the power of languageThey chose poems and colored the words with musical harmoniesThomas Weelkes ( ) – English composers who used this device“As Vesta Was Descending” – six-voice madrigal

21 Activity 5, p. 391 CD 11:9 “As Vesta Was Descending” by Thomas WeelkesText p. 392 & handoutWhat is this madrigal about?Describe the mood of the music and the text.What musical characteristics helped you make your decision?Is the word painting in the madrigal obvious or subtle?How did Weelkes “paint” the meaning of the text in his music?

23 Activity 6, p. 392 CD 11:10“Kyrie” from Pope Marcellus Mass by PalestrinaHow is the organization of the voices different in the Christe eleison section?Which of the following describes the development of each section?Starts thick, ends thinStarts thin, end thickIs thin throughout

24 Early Baroque Period Baroque – Greek ideals were abandonedstylistic period betweenGreek ideals were abandonedEmotion – more drama and freedomArtists used graceful, free-form curves instead of geometric shapes

26 Baroque MusicMain purpose was to move the listener by sustaining and contrasting emotionsTerraced dynamics –layered dynamic levels with a composition

27 The Beginnings of OperaFirst appeared around 1600Used the solo voice to communicate a text’s meaningSimplified instrumental accompanimentContinuo –an accompaniment consisting of a harpsichord sounding the chords and a viola da gamba(a low bowed string instrument) reinforcing the bass line

29 The Beginnings of OperaRecitative –speaking musicallyAllowed characters to tell the storyMimics the inflections of speech but uses melody and rhythm to enhance the words’ emotional meaningStill used todayAria –songlike, a pause in the story while a character reacts to the events

30 Orfeo (1607) By Claudio MonteverdiGreek tragedytells of Orpheus’s descent into Hell to retrieve his dead bride EurydiceHe pleads his case in song so well that he is allowed to take her but he can’t look back so see if she is followingHe looks back and she is lostApollo takes him to a cloud where he can watch herFor soloists, chorus, and orchestraConsists of recitatives, arias, madrigals, and orchestral music

32 Activity 7, p. 396 CD 11:11 & 9Compare “Tu se’ morta” (figure 17-5, p. 396)with “As Vesta Was Descending” (figure 17-4, p. 392)How many voices are singing in each composition?What instruments can you identify in each one?Which composition is homophonic? Polyphonic?Which composer has set the words of the text much like speech?Which setting of text makes the meaning of the words clearer? Why?

33 Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)Born in ItalyWanted to create music of emotional intensityStyle was full of agitation, excitement, and passionNew harmonic classesInventor of opera

34 Late Baroque Period Fugue –a rich polyphonic composition consisting of a series of successive melody imitationsDerived from the German word meaning “chase”Subject – main themeAnswer – an imitation of the subject in a different voiceCountersubject – a figure that follows the subject or answer, usually in the same voice

36 The Development of Functional HamonyJean Philippe Rameau ( )Treatise on Harmony (1722) – set the rules of harmonization, still followed todayTurning point in Baroque musicComposers began to think of chords and harmony, not just melody

37 Activity 9, p. 402 CD 11:13 “Tambourin” by Jean Philippe RameauIdentify the form of the compositionHow is contrast achievedHow would you describe the melody in the opening and closing sections of the composition?What percussion instrument is Rameau attempting to suggest in sound?

38 The ConcertoIn Italy, great violin makers were making great instrumentsBaroque composers wrote for strings the way Renaissance composers wrote for voicesNew forms of instrumental music were inventedComposers became interested in contrasts of timbreConcerto –solo parts alternated with a group of instruments

39 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Wrote the greatest Baroque concertosProduced more than 500Established the 3-movement scheme: fast, slow, fastMost were for solo violin and orchestraOccasionally wrote a concerto grosso – small group of soloists and orchestraRipieno – orchestra, had simpler easily remembered themes that were repeatedConcertino – soloists, had more difficult part

40 Antonio VivaldiStudies to be a priest but was also a violinist and harpsichordist harpsichordBecame the director of music at a girls’ orphanageWrote music for the girls for 40 years

41 The Four Seasons (1725) Most celebrated of Vivaldi’s concertosFour concertos named: “Spring,” “Summer,” “Autumn,” and “Winter”Violin in the foreground – string orchestra and harpsichord in the backgroundHomophonic texture – blending , foreshadows the preferred texture of the Classical period

42 Activity 10, p.405 CD 11:14 “Spring” from The Four SeasonsUsing the “Spring” listening puzzle handout, arrange the blocks in the order in which you hear them.

43 Review Be able to define the following words Word paintingTerraced dynamicsSolmizationScoreRenaissanceContinuoMotetsNeumesParallel organumPlainsong

44 Word painting Plainsong Parallel Organum Neumes SolimizationMusic that portrays the meaning of the words of the textWord paintingPlainsongMusic with no strict meter or accompaniment, sung by a single voiceParallel OrganumCompositional method in which two voice parts sing the same melody, a perfect fourth or fifth higher than the otherMarkings over or under the text to signal pitch changesNeumesSolimizationMethod of assigning a syllabic name to each tone of the scale

45 Renaissance Motets Madrigals Terraced Dynamics Score ContinuoRebirth and revival of human creativityMotetsPolyphonic choral compositions based on sacred texts of RenaissanceNonreligious vocal works in several parts of RenaissanceMadrigalsTerraced DynamicsLayered dynamic levels within a compositionScoreWritten notationAn accompaniment consisting of a harpsichord sounding the chords and a viola da gamba(a low bowed string instrument) reinforcing the bass lineContinuo

46 Sacred Music Guido of Arezzo Greeks FugueFoundation of Western classical musicGuido of ArezzoDevised a notation system based on a four-line staffGreeksEstablished the octave as the basic mathematical unit in musicFugueDerived from a German word meaning “chase”

47 ReviewWhen was each song or book written? Medieval, Renaissance, Early Baroque, or Late Baroque?“Estampie”“As Vesta was Descending”“Tu se’ morta”Gregorian chant“Prendes i garde”Treatise on HarmonyFugue No. 16 in g minorThe Four Seasons“La Bouree”Pope Marcellus Mass

49 ReviewTransition of harmonic texture from monophonic to polyphonic and later homophonic textureMedieval music - monophonic(plainsong and madrigals)Renaissance music – polyphonic (motets)Baroque musicPolyphonic music was perfectedHomophonic music was in later Baroque era

50 Sacred vs. Secular Music in the Medieval PeriodReligiousChurch musicA capella – no instrumentsPlainsong with no strict meterSung by a single voice or unison choirNon-religiousMusic for dancing and singingPerformed by instruments and voices